April 30, 2009

Remember the three elements - project success, personal results, and social fears.How will you get these points across and who will talk about them?This has to be orchestrated.

I usually have a chart with each person’s name, position, power level and to whom that person reports.I then have an area reserved for the answer to the above question, “What will it take to win this person’s vote?”Until I can fill that in completely with confidence - I’m worried and looking for more information.The higher the power level, the more worried I get.

April 29, 2009

Fill the presentation with people from your side that have relationships with people from their side.Relationships mean knowing this person well, having worked with this person favorably in the past, etc.There has got to be a professional bond, meaning this person trust the work will be done well and s/he will win professionally also.Relationships are more important than expertise at the presentation.Stack your team accordingly - at least for the presentation.However, the person with the relationship must have good knowledge of the project - something that can be accomplished with some prepping.

For critical aspects or major components only, have an expert if there is no one with relationships strong enough to explain the details.For example, if it’s a highway bridge project, somebody really good at structures needs to be there.The people that will talk about traffic flow, drainage, and safety can be far less expert, but have solid relationships with audience members.

April 27, 2009

Who will be at the presentation from the buyer’s side?It’s important to know this for all the obvious reasons, but let me state them anyway.You want to be ready to win over each and every person at the presentation.That person is there for a reason, no matter his or her level or position.This person also has a boss.As I’ve said in previous tips, to win over this person, you’ll have to show you can deliver his personal results and satisfy his social fears and expectations.

Hopefully you’ve met with this person prior to the no-talk phase.If not you’ll have to do some digging.Find people that know this person - people in your organization, the clients organization and outside both i.e. consultants, other vendors.Probe as to what he wanted for other projects.What were the turning factors?Who’s his boss?What has his boss wanted in the past?The answers to these questions will give you a sense about the individual.However, don’t just use your old notes or memory.Talk with others to validate your impressions.

If they won’t tell you who will be at the session.That’s a red flag.They may not know them self - not good, i.e. it’s not important enough for defined people to be assigned - not good.I could go on.

If you can find out at least what departments or agencies or areas will be represented, then you find out (by networking) who the bosses of those areas are and what results or assurances they typically want.Usually bosses set the tone and the subordinates follow.

April 20, 2009

These are great for the skimmers.Pictures are memorable and colorful.People visualize themselves in pictures.They are great tools to make a positive impression.Be sure to describe the picture - who was it for and what it is. What do you want them to focus on, and how it is similar to what you will be doing for them?Think of a newspaper and the description below the picture.

Make renderings of what their completed project will look like and what it will look like during construction if some are concerned.The more visual you give the more real it will feel to them and the more you’ll get associated with that successful, finished feeling.

And now I invite you to learn more

Bonus Tip: FREE Video Series “40 Winning Strategies for Proposals and Presentations”. Just click this Sales Management Training & Proposals Link. Sam Manfer makes it easy for any sales person to become a 70% closer and feel comfortable selling to C-Level leaders.

April 17, 2009

Suppose you’re bidding on a material handling system.Describe how you understand disruptions to shipping during installation, but also it’s impact on production i.e. how product needs to be rerouted and handled differently; sales i.e. it may take longer to get sold products palletized and onto trucks;human resources i.e. they will need more manpower, etc.Then there are the collateral effects, environment, construction messes, noise, etc. Explain what you will do to mitigate these impacts on all the effected areas and how you’ve done it successfully in the pasts with numbers, names and details.

Show you understand elements that could impact the project that you have little or no control over.Weather can delay projects.Obtaining permits and inspections, union

and employee relations issues can also impact schedules.Again, how will you and how have you handled these non controllable impacts,

And now I invite you to learn more

Bonus Tip: FREE Video Series “40 Winning Strategies for Proposals and Presentations”. Just click this Sales Management Training & Proposals Link. Sam Manfer makes it easy for any sales person to become a 70% closer and feel comfortable selling to C-Level leaders.

April 15, 2009

The words in your proposal have to be all about them.Yes, you have to tell of your capability, but tell it around their interest and the benefit it will provide each of the decision makers.For example, you have an excellent customer service department.Explain in your write-up that you understand their needs for excellent customer service.You should even explain what they mean by the word excellent.Then describe how the people and structure of your customer service department will help them meet those needs and expectations.This is different than telling them how great you customer service department is an assuming they will make the connection.

What you have and what you do are your features.Decision makers buy benefits, not features.So explain what you have and how what you do will work for them.Be careful to tell them about what they asked for and not what you think they should want.

And now I invite you to learn more

Bonus Tip: FREE Video Series “40 Winning Strategies for Proposals and Presentations”. Just click this Sales Management Training & Proposals Link. Sam Manfer makes it easy for any sales person to become a 70% closer and feel comfortable selling to C-Level leaders.

April 13, 2009

Win or lose, post contract is a the best time to to get more business. You now have access and know people you didn’t before. Win or lose, you now have relationships and if you don’t use them, you’ll really lose.

You can also learn why you won or why you lost the project which are data points for your ideal profiles.

Now here's how to get to see all these people and leverage them for more business.

April 10, 2009

Your final test to win contracts is your presentation.How professional you look based on what needs to be heard will determine your success or failure.Remember these voters want what they want - not what you think they should want.They also want no risk and maximum gain.Therefore you’ve got to be believable and on target.Confidence exudes believability and the best way to become confident is to rehearse.

April 03, 2009

Let’s face it most key managers are not going to read long (14 ½inches thick) proposals.Best case they will skim.However, you won’t know where they skim to and what catches their eye. So you have to write the proposal for the detail reader and the skimmer.For skimmers, use titles, subtitles and underlines.In this way they get the whole proposal in bite sizes and if they see a spot where they are more interested, they will read the details below the subtitles.

April 02, 2009

One way buyers decide is to find differences particularly in areas of importance to each decision maker.To show differentiation structure your proposal so that competition can not come behind you and say, “We do (or have) that also.”Otherwise the last presenter and/or proposal read will have the advantage - last memory.

Voters finally decide on feelings - who do they feel severs their interests best. Then the decision then gets justified with logic. That’s why relationships are so important.People feel good about working with you and will easily vote for you.

Numbers, names and details will differentiate you and create good feelings.You don’t have to be the best or the only one to have differentiation.You have to show you understand the project, you can do the project well, and you can deliver personal results to each voter.Paint the picture that will create the feeling of competence with numbers, names and details.

You are what you’ve done.For example, you have x amount of experience and have worked with y projects just like this of which z were within xx miles from them which all yielded productivity improvements of 35% or better.Your competition can not say the same.They have their own specifics, but unless they have worked with me, they will give their message in grey scale rather than your living color.

April 01, 2009

The presentation has to make your proposal come to life. It must instill a feeling of confidence about your company as it relates to the project you’re bidding. It also must be memorable. The last presenter has an advantage, but many times whoappears last is out of your control. So what you say and do must form a lasting colorful picture and positive feeling with the voters no matter who follows you.

The C-level and powerful people will probably attend your presentation and most likely will only have read your proposal’s executive summary.Therefore, your presentation has to cover the essences of the proposal, as well as, the personal desires of the powerful and make all confident you have the where-with-all to complete the project seamlessly and successfully deliver what each values.

Use numbers, names and details to explain everything important in your proposals and presentations.Numbers and names make it real.Your goal is to paint a colorful lasting feeling in the belly of the voter.26 years of experience is easy to visualize, rather than a lot of experience, many years of experience or over 25 years of experience.You did the XYZ project that had the same conditions as A and in the same area as B with Tom Smith and Mary Adams has more impact and memory value than, “We’ve don similar work with others in this area.

However, make sure your numbers, names and details refer to the line items.That is, don’t give them a copy (figuratively speaking) of your glossy brochure.Try not to use the same numbers, names and details more than 2-3 times.Keep looking for other specifics.I guarantee if you think about it, you’ll come-up with lots of details.